Weapon-handling skid

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus is provided for the loading of heavy ordnance onto the bomb racks of aircraft. The invention involves the modification of existing bomb carts or skids by the addition of hoisting adapters so that the bomb and skid may be raised together for placement of the bomb and then the skid lowered to the ground or deck. The adapters are adjustably mounted so that the bomb hoist hoisting cables may be attached to the assemblage at or near the center of gravity.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leonard La Rosa, Jr.

Ridgecrest, Calif. ['21 Appl. No. 808,842 [22] Filed Mar. 20, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 [73] Assignee The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy {54 WEAPON-HANDLING SKID 5 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.5. CI. 294/67 DB, 280/179 A [51] lnt.Cl. B66c1/10 [$0] FieldotSearch 2l4/1,1D, 38, 38.4, 38.46; 244/137; 294/67, 67.4 B, 67.4 C, 81, 67 S, 67.4, 67.2, 67.1, 67.4 A, 81, 78, 66; I 280/179, 179.1

[56] Relerences Cited UNFIED STATES PATENTS 3,212,457 10/1965 Looker 280/179 X 7 1 I I 35 /31 1 O 2,136,255 11/1938 Scanlon. 214/95 2,411,647 11/1946 Bonnell et a1 244/137 2,613,822 10/1952 Stanley 214/1 D 3,258,287 6/1966 Crosby 294/67(.1A) FOREIGN PATENTS 1,099,017 3/1955 France 214/1 D Primary ExaminerGerald M. F orlenza Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner Attorneys- Edgar J. Brower, Roy Miller and Gerald F. Baker gravity.

I XII-Lb PATENIED me am INVEN'IUK LEONARD LA ROSA, JR.

BY ROY MILLER ATTORNEY.

GERALD F. BAKER AGENT.

PATENTEU AUG 3 IHH SHEET 2 (IF 3 FIG. 7.

PATENTEH AUG 3 Ian SHEET 3 BF 3 The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The loading of bombs onto aircraft in combat situations on aircraft carriers, for example, has been accomplished with bomb skids of either the two-wheeled or four-wheeled varieties which were used to haul the bombs from a magazine to the aircraft. The bombs were off-loaded from the carts or skids and manhandled into place or hauled up to the aircraft stores station by cable hoists attached to a hoisting sling placed on the bomb. In either case, the bomb loading required excessive manpower and time.

With the present invention, the entire cart and bomb assemblage is hoisted by cable hoists until the bomb lugs are in position on the bomb stores station on the aircraft and then the cart is lowered to the deck. In this manner, the loading of weapons can be accomplished by a smaller crew with greater safety and in less elapsed time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one modification of a bomb skid with a typical bomb shown in phantom on the skid;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bomb skid of FIG. 1;

v FIG. 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of a sling for attachment to the bomb skid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the sling shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the sling shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the sling ofFlG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the sling adapter shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an end view ofa modified adapter and sling;

FIG. 9 is a partial front plan view of the adapter according to FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the hoisting adapter used with the bomb skid according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an end view of the hoisting adapter according to FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a second bomb skid modified according to the invention;

FIG. 13 is a side view ofa hoisting adapter for use with the bomb skid shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a two-wheeled bomb cart 10 known as the Aero l2/C bomb skid. The skid or cart 10 has two side rails 12 each supporting a pair of bracket members 16. These bracket members 16 provide attachment for a pair of removable handles 24 and also carry pins 25 originally designed to hold tiedown belts 22.

Side rails 12 are joined by a bed member 11 and the whole is supported on wheels 26. When sling adapters 14 are used, they carry plastic-covered metal mesh slings 18 designed to support thin-skinned weapons. such as bomb 13 illustrated in FIG. 2, with tiedown belts 22 securing the bomb on the cart.

FIGS. 3 through 9 illustrate two modifications of the slings I8 and sling adapters 14. As seen in FIGS. 3 through 7, one modification involves a chain-link web fastened to sling adapter 14 by lacing through holes in a tab 19. In the modification shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the web 41' is welded directly to shank 21 ofsling adapter 14'.

Each sling adapter 14 or 14' is provided with a lug 17 designed to fit into a bracket 16 on cart 10 where it is secured by a pin 25. Carts are modified according to the resent inven tion y adding hoisting adapter means ad ustab y mounted to the side rails of the cart. Cart 10, for example, has fastened to each side rail 12, a hoisting adapter 30 (FIGS. 10 and 11) comprising an angle member 31, a side 35 of which is fastened to a side rail 12, while the other side of the angle extends upwardly and is perforated at 37 so that a rider 32 may be fastened thereto at any of a plurality of positions. Rider 32 is fastened to flange 33 by a pin 38 and carries another pin 34 in upstanding lugs 39 to facilitate fastening of a bomb hoist cable.

In FIG. 12, a four-wheel cart is equipped with a hoisting adapter also useable with conventional bomb hoist implements for practicing the bomb-loading method according to the invention. The type of cart shown in FIG. 12, comprises two side rails 112 carrying yokes I18 resting on four wheels 126 and adapted to be pulled and steered by a tongue 124. The four-wheeled cart is modified for hoisting by attachment of an adapter bar 130.

As shown in FIG. 13, the adapter 130 consists generally of a channel member 113, the ends of which are modified as shown in FIG. 14 for attachment of bomb hoist cables. Near each end of bar 113 a pair of lugs 1'06, 103 and 108, respectively are situated to fit onto side rails 112, with holes 106', I07 and 108', 110' in registry with suitable holes in rails 112, so that pins similar to pin 38 in FIG. 11, for example, may be used to secure bar 113 to rails 112.

It is considered advantageous to fasten all pins to their respective parts to preclude loss or misplacement. Thus, pin 25 is secured by lanyard 29 and ring 27 to adapter 14 and pins 34 and 38 are respectively secured to rider 32 by lanyards 44 and 42 attached to rings 40 and 36. A screw hole 134 is shown provided in each end of bar 113 to facilitate fastening of the associated pin as outlined above for adapter 14 and rider 32.

In operation, bombs are transported on a bomb cart to an aircraft and spotted under a stores station or bomb rack on the aircraft. Bomb hoists are then actuated and cables are lowered and attached to the bomb carts at or near the center of gravity of the bomb and cart assembly. The cart is raised by the hoisting cables until the bomb is in place on the rack and then the cart is lowered again to the deck.

What I claim is:

I. In a weapon-handling vehicle having a body with two opposing side rails, the improvement comprising:

hoisting adapter means removably fastened to said rails;

cable attachment means removably fastened to said adapter means;

said attachment means having means thereon for attachment of hoisting cables or the like; and

means for adjustably positioning said attachment means so that said attachment means may be in a plane substantially coextensive with a plane orthogonal to the longitu dinal axis of a weapon on said vehicle and passing through the center of gravity of the weapon-vehicle assembly.

2. Hoisting means according to claim ll wherein:

means is provided for varying the position of said adapter means on said rails.

3. Hoisting means according to claim 2 wherein:

said rails are pierced by a plurality of like holes evenly spaced to provide means for attachment of said adapter.

4. Hoisting means according to claim 1 wherein:

means is provided for varying the position of said attachment means on said adapter means.

5. Hoisting means according to claim 4 wherein said adapter comprises an upstanding flange and said flange is pierced by a plurality of like holes evenly spaced to provide means for positioning said attachment means. 

1. In a weapon-handling vehicle having a body with two opposing side rails, the improvement comprising: hoisting adapter means removably fastened to said rails; cable attachment means removably fastened to said adapter means; said attachment means having means thereon for attachment of hoisting cables or the like; and means for adjustably positioning said attachment means so that said attachment means may be in a plane substantially coextensive with a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of a weapon on said vehicle and passing through the center of gravity of the weapon-vehicle assembly.
 2. Hoisting means according to claim 1 wherein: means is provided for varying the position of said adapter means on said rails.
 3. Hoisting means according to claim 2 wherein: said rails are pierced by a plurality of like holes evenly spaced to provide means for attachment of said adapter.
 4. Hoisting means according to claim 1 wherein: means is provided for varying the position of said attachment means on said adapter means.
 5. Hoisting means according to claim 4 wherein said adapter comprises an upstanding flange and said flange is pierced by a plurality of like holes evenly spaced to provide means for positioning said attachment means. 